Looking Forward to 2017 Hunting Season
Kevin Felts 01.02.17
Deer hunting season is almost over in various states across the nation. Here in southeast Texas, the late 2016 youth and muzzle loader season starts January 2nd and runs through January 15th.
For a lot of sportsmen, there is a lull between the end of hunting season and spring fishing season or starting a spring garden. The weather is cold, the hunting season is over, so a lot of sportsmen opt to stay inside and watch tv.
The period between the end of hunting season and spring is probably the best time to start planning for next fall.
Beat the Heat
A lot of deer hunters wait until summer to move their stands and feeders. July and August are the hottest months of the year, bugs are out, and it is just hot and miserable. With the heat comes dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke.
Why would anyone want to work in 90 and 100 degree heat, when they can work on a cool winter or spring day?
If the area where you usually hunt is snowed in, then get out there as soon as the snow melts. Across the southern part of the United States, snow is not usually a problem.
Fresh Memories
Rather than waiting months to move a stand or feeder, do it while memories are still fresh. Did you see a buck and say to yourself, “Next year I am going to move the stand down by that creek!” Why wait until next season? Go ahead and move that stand as soon as you can!
Foliage changes between fall and summer. Things may not look the same when you come back in six or seven months.
Go ahead and put the trail cameras out, go scouting, take pictures and make mental notes. Maybe record some videos with the cell phone talking about what you would like to do next season.
Put those memories to use while they are fresh.
Winter vs Summer
Things look different in fall and winter than they do in summer. Leaves change color and fall from the trees. If you set your stand up in late fall and early spring, you have an idea of how things will look in fall and winter of the following year.
In summer, everything is in full bloom.
On December 30, 2016 my oldest son and I walked around the property and talked about where to put a deer hunting stand for next year. With less vegetation than in summer, it was easier to walk through the dense underbrush. We figured out a nice place for the stand. In the next few weeks we are going to use the tractor to brush hog a shooting lane and where to put the deer stand and feeder. During late winter, we will set everything up.
Hunting is Year Round
Deer hunting is a year round obsession. Just because the season is over does not mean you have to wait several months to head out to the woods.
Go back out to the woods as soon as possible. Instead of last minute plans, start setting stuff up months ahead of time. If nothing else, a lot of states have open season on wild hogs. Maybe you will see some wild hogs and get lucky.
